87
E
SAMI DI
S
TATO
2016
Nuova Secondaria - n. 4 2016 - Anno XXXIV - ISSN 1828-4582
nitive abilities to follow the argument and some reading
sub-skills could be of help: identifying lexical cohesion of
synonymity between “problem” (l.27) and “dilemma” in
the question, and understanding its semantic relationship
with “total responsibility” (l.33); noticing repetitions and
identifying their cohesive effect as well as their meaning,
e.g. “ creativity, creative” (l. 29), “Any shape…. Any
note” (l.34); noticing and understanding the use of oppo-
sites, e.g. “nothing” versus “everything” (l. 33).
9. Where can you see that Morris refers to an imitative
concept of art? Give at least two examples.
In the sixth paragraph, Morris gives some examples of im-
itative art, such as painting a tree which exists in nature,
writing music by imitating a bird-song, and painting the
geometry provided by geological shapes.
The answer is to be found at lines 38-40 in the fifth para-
graph, which are quite descriptive, expressed in everyday
language and should not represent a challenge for candi-
dates.
10. How does Morris explain abstraction in art?
Morris thinks that abstraction finds its origin with the
artist imitating nature and then rapidly developing his
own original themes away from their natural form until
they are relatively abstract.
The question is the logical consequence of the previous
one, and the candidate will make use of his skill at find-
ing the relevant information (ll. 40-42) and at identifying
conceptual relationships, thanks to the repetition of spe-
cific lexis, e.g. “themes” (l. 41) whose meaning should be
by now absolutely clear.
Production
The candidates have either to write an opinion essay or a
descriptive text.
1. Focus on any modern or contemporary artists you have
studied or art shows you have been to. In an essay of ap-
proximately 300 words, discuss whether you agree or dis-
agree with the statement made by Desmond Morris at the
end of the passage, on the judgment of an artist’s work. The
statement about which the candidates have to express their
opinion is the following: “the artist’s work is judged, finally,
not on any absolute values, but on the basis of how ingen-
iously he manages to ring the changes on the themes he has
employed.” (ll. 46-47). It can be assumed that only candi-
dates with a strong sensibility towards art and with a logi-
cal mental frame can venture to deal with this topic. As a
matter of fact, they should first understand the concept ex-
pressed by the phrase “to ring the changes on the themes”,
then think of examples of art-works by an artist or from an
art show whose theme-changes they have the ability to
demonstrate, both linguistically and conceptually, and fi-
nally say if this is fundamental to judge the artist’s work.
2. Write a composition of about 300 words on your own
personal “aesthetic behaviour”. This is certainly more fea-
sible and may appeal to the candidates, as not only has
everyone a personal “aesthetic behaviour”, but also un-
dergoes judgement by others according to this. Taking
into consideration the candidates’ age and young people’s
interests, we might expect their compositions to deal with
their tastes regarding clothing, the performing arts and nat-
ural landscapes. They might even risk dealing with the dif-
ference between beauty and the sublime, by referring to
their readings of E. Burke’s Philosophical Enquiry into the
Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful (1757).
Teaching suggestions
The paper may be used in the classroom as it is, since it
offers a good opportunity for developing reading com-
prehension sub-skills. Besides, it can enrich the candi-
date’s knowledge of the panorama of 20
th
-century Eng-
lish-speaking culture, which is one of the aims of
Liceo
Linguistico.The essay could be used as the starting point
for a CLIL project together with the art teacher: each stu-
dent, or group of students, could work on a different
artist in order to demonstrate or negate what Morris says.
Each student / group might want to prepare a slide-en-
riched presentation in English to the whole class. Teach-
ers of other foreign languages may join in providing other
essays for comparison and discussion.
Conclusion
This year’s exam papers offer stimulating materials, which
the candidates can only tackle if they possess good read-
ing and writing strategies. Teachers should therefore ensure
throughout their courses the enhancement of textual skills
as well as try to cover different aspects of the English-
speaking culture, in order to build both suitable commu-
nicative competence and cultural / inter-cultural awareness.
For this purpose, the papers can also be exploited in the fu-
ture classroom for practice and further study.
Flavia Zappa
I.I.S. “C. Beretta”, Gardone Val Trompia
Università Cattolica di Brescia
BIBLIOGRAPHY
S. Bellow,
Seize the Day, Penguin Books, New York 1996.
D. Head (ed.),
The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English,
Cambridge University Press Cambridge 2006.
D. Morris,
Manwatching. A Field Guide to Human Behaviour,
Triad Panther, St. Albans 1977.
04_Layout 1 25/10/16 10:53 Pagina 87